Forbidden Attractions (Book #2)

24. the mafia queen

HER POV

       I watched as Dante's chest slowly rose and fell. His closed eyelids twitching every now and then as he remained completely still. He looked peaceful.

       "How long do you think he will be like this?" Derek asked as he entered the room.

       I shrugged. "The doctor said his body needs to heal. It could take days or weeks."

       "I am surprised you didn't leave the first chance you got," Derek said.

       I looked over at Dante and offered Derek a downturned smile. The Villaneuvas were at their most vulnerable and it would be the best chance to escape, but my conscious simply wouldn't allow it.

"I am not that heartless Derek," I replied as I stood up from the chair and began leaving the room. Derek followed after me.

"Or is that you have fallen in love with your ex-fiancé again?" Derek teased.

I gave him a deadly glare. "Don't even joke about that."

"Fine, shesh," Derek chuckled nervously as he put his hands up in surrender.

       Unbeknownst to him, Dante and I had a very intimate encounter. The memory from that drunken night resurfaced and I shivered at the thought of it. I was so close to giving in to a temptation I knew I would regret later. That was part of the reason as to why I had not left. I felt guilty for seducing him and imagining another man instead of him.

       "Samantha, there you are!" Caterina looked at me with a panicked expression.

       "What is it?" I asked concerned by her expression.

"The heads of the Italian mobs under our control have arrived in London and they are seeking a meeting with the head of the household, in this case—you," Caterina explained nervously.

"Alessandra did worn us of this," I said calmly. "Very well, tell them that I will meet them at La Bella Bella and I do not want any of their guards with them."

Caterina nodded as she typed away on her phone. She then looked up and examined my outfit.

"If you are to confront these men, you need to change into something more powerful," Caterina said. "Come with me."

I followed her into my room and she scanned the clothes I owned. She picked out a black body-con dress, a large sun hat and black pair of gloves.

       "Put these on, I'll be right back," she said as she shoved the clothes at me.

       Obediently, I slipped on the dress and put on the mesh gloves. I tied my hair into a bun before placing the hat on top of my head. I grabbed a pair of black heels and stood up.

       Caterina walked back inside holding a black necklace box. She looked down at it with a sad smile.

"Dante was going to give this to you on your wedding day," she said as she handed me the necklace. It had the Villanueva emblem at the center.

Caterina helped me clip the necklaces on before I adjusted my dress. I stared into the full-length mirror and gasped. I looked at like a true Italian mafia wife.

       "You are ready now," she smiled.

***

       "This is the private room you requested ma'am," the restaurant manager said as he opened the doors for the large room.